Light microscopy chips and data analysis methodology for quantitative localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) biosensing and imaging

Abstract

A method for the spatiotemporal mapping of receptor-ligand binding kinetics in localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) imaging using a chip for LSPR imaging having a glass coverslip compatible for use in a standard microscope and at least one array of functionalized plasmonic nanostructures patterned onto the glass coverslip with electron beam nanolithography and projecting a magnified image of the array to a CCD camera and monitoring the binding kinetics of the array. The nanostructures can be regenerated allowing the chip to be used multiple times.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
         1 . A spectrometer-free method for spatiotemporal mapping of receptor-ligand binding kinetics in localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) imaging, consisting of:
 using a chip for LSPR imaging, comprising a glass coverslip compatible for use in a standard microscope, wherein at least one array of functionalized plasmonic nanostructures for LSPR biosensing and imaging has been patterned onto the glass coverslip with electron beam nanolithography, wherein the functionalized plasmonic nanostructures result in an increase in a scattering rate for wavelengths between 610 and 750 nm;   projecting a magnified image of the array to a CCD camera; and   quantifying binding kinetics of the nanostructure array without aid of spectroscopic measurements.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spatiotemporal mapping of receptor-ligand binding kinetics in LSPR imaging is done simultaneously with determining fractional occupancy values for surface-bound receptors as a function of time from a spectroscopic measurement. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the functionalized plasmonic nanostructures comprise functionalized gold plasmonic nanostructures. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure arrays can be regenerated and reused.